Universal Suffrage

Universal Suffrage..

Universal suffrage means that the right to vote is not restricted by race, sex, belief, wealth, or social status.

Commonly it was originally considered to be only for adult males, and was first recognised as such in France in 1792. One site states that in 1848 France became the first major nation in Europe to institute universal manhood suffrage without  property qualifications, for male individuals. However, it is also stated that the French Constitutional Law of 1875 provided universal male suffrage, supplemented in 1944 by full universal suffrage, including women as voters. The first Country to allow the Vote for women was New Zealand in 1893 for Federal Elections, although some females in South Australia had the vote in local elections in 1861.

Some countries are said to NOT have Universal Suffrage because non-residents are excluded from voting after two years abroad. (My opinion: A Non Citizen, who lives overseas should not be able to vote after a certain period.)

The first country to have full Universal Suffrage appears to be New Zealand, with its Māori men being able to vote from 1867, followed by all European men from 1879. In 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world where women were able to vote in national elections.

Interesting Points to be aware of.

Australia: Female Universal Suffrage was obtained in South Australia in 1894 but not extended to the whole Commonwealth of Australia until 1902.

Chile is another interesting example: 1888 Men 21+ who can read. 1925 Men 21+ who can read and write. 1949 Men and Women 21+ able to read and write. 1970 Men and Women 18+ whether or not they can read or write.  So is it 1888 or 1970 for Male Suffrage?

The following are the stated years for Universal Suffrage of various descriptions:

Full Universal Suffrage:

1893 New Zealand
1906 Finland
1915 Denmark
1918 Poland
1918 United Kingdom
1919 Germany
1919 Netherlands
1924 United States
1931 Sri Lanka
1933 Spain
1933 Thailand
1943 Lebanon
1944 France
1945 Italy
1946 Japan
1950 India
1952 Greece
1955 Indonesia
1960 Canada
1962 Australia
1974 Portugal
1987 Philippines
1987 Zimbabwe
1988 Brazil
1994 South Africa
2017 Hong Kong

Male Universal Suffrage:

1829 Greece or 1877
1848 Switzerland
1848 France or 1792 or 1875
1849 Denmark
1853 Colombia
1855 Australia
1868 United States
1869 Spain
1871 Germany
1878 Turkey
1879 New Zealand
1891 Brazil
1893 Belgium
1896 Austria
1896 First Czechoslovak Republic
1898 Norway
1906 Finland
1906 Iran
1907 Philippines
1909 South Africa
1909 Sweden
1912 Argentina
1912 Italy
1917 Estonia
1917 Netherlands
1918 Ireland
1918 Poland
1918 Russia
1918 United Kingdom
1918 Uruguay
1919 Armenia
1919 Azerbaijan
1919 Georgia
1919 Latvia
1919 Luxembourg
1920 Canada
1922 Lithuania
1925 Japan
1931 Sri Lanka
1933 Thailand
1935 Burma
1940 Quebec Canada
1943 Lebanon
1947 Malta
1947 Taiwan
1948 Israel
1948 South Korea
1950 India
1951 Ghana
1955 Indonesia
1956 Bolivia
1956 Malaysia
1956 Pakistan
1962 Kuwait
1964 Afghanistan
1970 Chile
1973 Bahrain
1974 Portugal
1978 Zimbabwe
1979 European Union
1979 Peru
1984 Liechtenstein
1990 Samoa
2008 Bhutan
2013 Qatar
2017 Hong Kong (Planned)

Female Universal Suffrage:

1893 New Zealand
1894 South Australia
1902 Commonwealth of Australia
1906 Finland
1913 Norway
1915 Denmark
1918 Austria
1918 First Czechoslovak Republic
1918 Hungary
1918 Poland
1918 United Kingdom
1919 Germany
1919 Netherlands
1919 Sweden
1920 Canada
1920 United States
1921 Ireland
1931 Portugal
1931 South Africa
1931 Sri Lanka
1932 Brazil
1933 Spain
1933 Thailand
1934 Turkey
1937 Philippines
1940 Quebec Canada
1943 Lebanon
1944 France
1944 Jamaica
1945 Bulgaria
1945 Italy
1946 Japan
1947 Argentina
1947 Malta
1947 Taiwan
1948 Belgium
1948 Israel
1948 South Korea
1950 India
1951 Ghana
1952 Greece
1953 Mexico
1955 Indonesia
1955 Peru
1956 Bolivia
1970 Chile
1971 Switzerland
1978 Zimbabwe
2002 Bahrain
2005 Kuwait
2017 Hong Kong (Planned)